Orangeburg County Marriage Records
Orangeburg County marriage licenses are issued by Orangeburg County Probate Court, Marriage License Division. The Probate Court is at 151 Docket Street, Room 105, 1st Floor, Orangeburg, SC 29115, with mailing address P.O. Drawer 9000, Orangeburg, SC 29116. Probate Court hours are Monday through Friday, excluding county holidays, from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.; marriage licenses are issued until 4:30 p.m.
The marriage license fee is $60. The county page says cash for in-person licensing, while the mail packet requires a $60 money order payable to Orangeburg County Probate Court. South Carolina law requires a 24-hour waiting period from application before the license can be issued. The Marriage License Division phone is 803-533-6280, and the certified-copy form lists 803-533-6281.
| Office | Record Type | Contact | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Orangeburg County Probate Court | Marriage licenses and local certified license copies. | 151 Docket Street, Room 105; 803-533-6280. | Licenses issued Monday-Friday 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. |
| Orangeburg County Clerk of Court / Family Court | Divorce decrees and Family Court case files. | 151 Docket Street; Clerk 803-533-6260; Family Court 803-533-6155. | Actual decrees come from the county where the final hearing was held. |
| South Carolina DPH | Certified marriage certificates and divorce reports for covered years. | DPH marriage certificates | State records have eligibility and date limits. |
Apply for Orangeburg County Marriage License
Marriage license applications can be handled through Orangeburg County Probate Court. For a mailed packet, the research says both parties sign the completed application before a notary, include Social Security proof, include photo identification, provide the fee by money order, and include a self-addressed stamped envelope. Non-U.S. citizens must present a passport copy and valid visa or alien ID card.
- Complete the Orangeburg County marriage license application for both applicants.
- Provide Social Security card copies, or an accepted substitute such as a tax return or W-2 showing name and SSN.
- Provide photo ID copies, such as a valid driver's license, state ID, military ID, or current passport.
- For mail applications, have both signatures notarized and include a self-addressed stamped envelope.
- Pay the $60 fee through the method required by the application route, then observe the 24-hour waiting period.
Note: The waiting period is from state law, while the office-specific payment method comes from Orangeburg County Probate Court materials.
Orangeburg County Marriage Application Fields
The marriage license application form collects information for both applicants. The fields below come from the Orangeburg County application inventory in the research file. Email is important because the form notes that without an email address, the court cannot communicate and the license may not be received.
| Field Label | Type | Required | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Applicant A / Applicant B legal name | Text | Yes | Names for both parties. |
| Birth-certificate surname | Text | If applicable | Prior or birth surname. |
| Date of birth / age | Date / number | Yes | Applicants under 18 require consent or proof rules under state law. |
| Birthplace, sex, race | Field entries | Yes / unspecified | Fields appear on the county form. |
| Address and county | Text | Yes | Residence details. |
| Prior marriage count and divorce history | Number / checkbox / text | Yes if applicable | Form asks about prior marriages and divorce within the past year. |
| SSN or alien registration number | Text | Yes | Required by state law and forms. |
| Telephone and email | Text / email | Yes / unspecified | Email is required for court communication. |
| Applicant signatures and notary section | Signature / notary | Yes for mail | Both parties sign before a notary for mail process. |
| Mailing address for license | Text | Yes for mail | Return mailing details. |
Orangeburg County Marriage Fees
Orangeburg County Probate Court fees include the marriage license, certified marriage-license copies, and several probate-related copy or certification items. Divorce filing and decree-copy fees are not listed in the same Probate Court marriage fee source. For divorce decrees, use the Clerk of Court or Family Court channel and confirm copy costs before ordering.
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Marriage license | $60 |
| Certified copy of Orangeburg County marriage license | $5 per copy |
| DPH marriage or divorce record search fee | $12 per requested record |
| DPH expedited search where offered | $17 |
| DPH additional copies on marriage/divorce pages | $3 |
| Divorce decree from Clerk / Family Court | Confirm with Clerk of Court; specific fee not located in research. |
Orangeburg County Certified Marriage Copies
Certified copies of a marriage license filed in Orangeburg County are requested through Orangeburg County Probate Court. The certified-copy form has a $5 per copy fee. In-person payment may be by cash, check, or money order, while mail payment uses check or money order payable to Probate Court. The form asks for requester name, mailing address, phone, bride's maiden name, groom's name, marriage date if known, license number if known, and number of copies.
The South Carolina DPH marriage certificate page explains the state-level certified marriage record channel.
DPH is useful for covered state certificate years, but Orangeburg Probate Court remains the local office for licenses issued there.
DPH has certified marriage records from July 1950 through December 2023. Earlier records and records after December 2023 must be requested from the Probate Court that issued the license. DPH ordering is limited to persons named on the certificate, adult children, or a present or former spouse.
Orangeburg County Divorce Records
Orangeburg County divorce records are Family Court records, not Probate Court marriage-license records. Family Court handles divorce, legal separation, custody, visitation, support, alimony, marital-property division, and name changes. The Clerk of Court office is at 151 Docket Street, Orangeburg, SC 29115, with phone 803-533-6260. The Family Court phone listed in research is 803-533-6155, and hours are Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.
South Carolina DPH has certified Reports of Divorce for divorces decreed from July 1962 through December 2023. DPH does not have divorce decrees. The actual decree must be obtained from the Clerk of Court in the county where the final divorce hearing was held. Eligible DPH applicants include divorced parties, adult children, present or former spouses, or legal representatives; other applicants may receive only a statement that the divorce occurred with date and county.
The South Carolina DPH divorce reports page is the state source for divorce reports.
Use DPH for eligible reports, but request the court decree from the Orangeburg County Clerk of Court when the final hearing was in Orangeburg County.
Orangeburg County Marriage Access Limits
Marriage and divorce records can have different access rules depending on the record. A public marriage-license index or local license copy is not the same as a state-certified marriage certificate with eligibility limits. A DPH divorce report is not the same as the Family Court decree. Family Court files may also contain restricted details involving minors, finances, abuse, sealed material, or protected personal identifiers.
- Marriage license
- The county Probate Court record authorizing marriage after application and waiting period.
- Certified marriage certificate
- A certified state or county copy used to prove the marriage for official purposes.
- Divorce report
- A state vital-record report that confirms a divorce event for covered years.
- Divorce decree
- The court order ending the marriage and setting legal terms from Family Court.
South Carolina law also requires a written marriage-license application and a 24-hour waiting period. Family Court divorce files should be requested through the Clerk or Family Court, with restricted portions handled under court access rules.